Meet a member: Jorg Aadahl wants to spread his progressive wisdom


Name: Jorg Aadahl.
Where I live: San Mateo, Calif.
Where and when I was born: Trondheim, Norway, June 16, 1937.
Family: Son Erik (46, sound designer in Hollywood), daughter Nina (44, international marketing manager for a German medical firm), grandson Lukas, 8, and my wonderful Swedish wife, who died of Alzheimer’s in 2020.
Education: Master of science in mechanical and industrial engineering (Norway), MBA from the University of San Francisco, life.
Occupation: Retired, formerly a mechanical engineer and software developer. I started as a scientist to explore what I discovered while working on my engineering thesis — that a supercharged plasma-conducting alternating current has a rectifying effect that varies with the static and dynamic characteristics of the power source. It resulted in a report discussed at annual International Institute of Welding meetings in Paris, Prague and Helsinki.
Military service: Norwegian army, transferred to NATO-affiliated Defense Research Establishment after boot camp.
How I got where I am today: I was curious about America, so I came over for a couple of years to find out more. I’m still here and wondering about where the country is headed. Doesn’t look so good!
Where I’m headed: Even older age!
Person in history I admire: President Obama.
A quotation I like: “Common sense isn’t all that common.” — Voltaire.
Things I like: Reading, music, nature.
Things I smite: Religion, Republicanism, people talking about things they know nothing about. Dunning-Krüger victims — when people talk about things they know absolutely nothing about, without understanding that they don’t understand that they don’t understand! The Dunning-Krüger effect seems to be more and more prevalent.
My doubts about religion started: Very early in life. I realized early that the stories were made up. I was born atheist, and stayed pure.
Before I die: I hope to write more, and spread my progressive, democratic opinion.
Ways I promote freethought: I write letters to newspaper editors, especially about religion and other forms of superstition, most of which I have collected in my new book, Dear Editor & Beyond. The book is offered as a source, free to be copied, changed and embellished upon, then re-published, all with the intent of spreading progressive, democratic points about equal rights, freethought and social values to enhance enlightenment and counter the darker and destructive forces of religion, right-wing politics and inhuman forces that at times seem to take over and prevent development of a better society for us all.
I wish you’d have asked me: What was my first book? Strength Analysis of Welded Structures in Norwegian (1969), based upon a series of articles I had written for a technical journal.